Conduct Becoming Ambassadors

The 2021 Feast of Tabernacles is now just weeks away! In order to keep it, most of us will be traveling to communities where we do not live. It is important to focus on what this means—for the eight days of the Feast and Last Great Day, as well as the other 357 days of the year.

As Christians, our ultimate destiny is to become kings and priests, ruling in God’s Kingdom, which is pictured by the last fall festivals.

However, all of us also have an important diplomatic job here and now. As God’s people, we represent a foreign government. Paul said “our [citizenship] is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20).

Ambassadorships are critical appointments and are only conferred on those who can properly and positively represent the ideals, laws, people, culture, government policies, and political ideologies of the countries where they hold citizenship. If an ambassador ever fails to uphold all these standards, he can automatically disqualify himself from representing his government—and be recalled from his post.

As ambassadors for God’s future government, our lives must exemplify His Way to this world. We are to represent the order, peace and abundant joy inherent in the spiritual government to which we owe our true allegiance. We are, in Christ’s words, to be lights to the world (Matt. 5:14-16). And the “Father of lights” (Jms. 1:17) will not permit us to hide our good examples under a bushel. True Christians have been “set on a hill” for all to see, just as a light pierces surrounding darkness so people can see where they are going.

Did you ever notice that human beings have a way of immediately categorizing anyone they meet or any idea with which they come into contact? If you meet someone from the Southern United States, you automatically fit the person into the image you have of the South, even though you may never have been there. For example, you may think of a steamboat, the Atlanta Falcons football team, humid weather, or “Southern hospitality.” You assign the person to a certain slot in your mind.

If someone drives a Cadillac, it means a certain thing in people’s minds. Driving a Volkswagen also communicates an image. Businessmen dress a certain way. Doctors, artists, bricklayers and athletes also have a certain uniform in our minds. The way a person carries himself conveys that he is cocky, refined, shy, confident or relaxed.

People are categorized—many times incorrectly—according to their religion, skin color, political preference, manners, friends, sports they like, books they read, jokes they tell, entertainment they prefer, or even the kind of dog they own.

Do you realize what this means to you as a Christian ambassador? People are analyzing your every word, move and habit. Thus, you must set an example that will unmistakably identify just who you are and whom you represent.

God intended that Israel be such a sterling example in their obedience to Him that all surrounding gentile nations could not help but notice how they, too, were intended by God to live (Deut. 4:4-8).

The Bible shows that this never happened. Israel utterly failed its commission! In fact, it failed so miserably, that in the New Testament, Paul often referred to Israel’s example to show how not to live (I Cor. 10:6). Think about how much better it would have been had Israel had a positive, righteous record!

One bright spot in Israel’s history is King Solomon’s example of wisdom and understanding, which spread abroad so strongly that the Queen of Sheba could not believe it. She decided to check for herself (I Kgs. 10:1-10) and found that she had not heard the half of it (vs. 7). Solomon must have been setting a wonderful example. But even though he was the king, he was still just one man. What if the entire nation had been as wise and righteous as Solomon? It would have had that much greater impact on Israel’s neighbors.

Even the early Church had a difficult time learning to generate the right light. The apostle Paul must have had great patience as he dealt with the Corinthian congregation. He had much to say to them about their wrong conduct, explaining in II Corinthians 5:20 that “we are ambassadors for Christ.” The entire reference was not to the ministry or apostles alone, even though they were ambassadors in the most direct sense. Paul was trying to emphasize to the Corinthians the importance of the examples we all set (vs. 10). He stated, “…if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature…” (vs. 17). All who are “new creatures” have received an ambassadorial appointment—and that is a very high office carrying much weight in representing its government.

Paul instructed the Philippians: “Only let your conversation [conduct] be as it becomes the gospel of Christ…” (Phil. 1:27). That gospel is of the coming government of God. Is your conduct “becoming” of that government—or do you cast a bad light on it?

In his later years, when Herbert W. Armstrong was traveling abroad and regularly meeting with world leaders, he referred to himself as “an ambassador without portfolio.” He certainly conducted himself as an ambassador—he understood that he represented a foreign government. There was no escaping the fact that leaders and others evaluated the Worldwide Church of God by the message and conduct of its representative—Mr. Armstrong.

When Ambassador College was founded, its name was not selected by accident. The students who were accepted had to know why they wanted to attend. And once they arrived, they were taught what it meant to be ambassadors. While I attended Ambassador College, I was told that I was in training to hold this office. High standards were set so that high standards could be reached. Those standards touched on all facets of student life: studies, finances, health, appearance, work, athletics, dating and spiritual growth. If anyone did not strive to reach them, he simply did not remain at Ambassador College as an “ambassador.”

Notice Paul’s instruction to the Colossians: “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man” (4:5-6).

People outside the Church should not be able to overlook our wisdom. As with Solomon’s, though to a lesser degree, it should stand out as unusual.

Instead, I often hear people say things that do not evidence the wisdom of one who is representing a government. Remember, God has chosen “the foolish things of the world” to “confound the wise” (I Cor. 1:27). We must be growing in wisdom, discretion, tact and diplomacy to retain our “credentials” as ambassadors.

I Corinthians 6:2 shows that the saints will one day judge the world. If that day were here, and all those who knew you in this life now could see you as a member of the God Family, what would their reactions be? Would they, by remembering your outstanding example in your home, in your family, and on the job, find it easy to accept? Or would they collapse in shock that you could have made it into God’s Kingdom?

Would they remember hearing you and your mate fighting? Would they recall the disrespect, foul language, and unkempt appearance of you or your children? Would an image come to mind of an uncared-for yard or off-color jokes? Would they remember your unfriendly, secretive manner, your unpainted house, your poor work record, and on and on?

Christ gained “favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52). In this way, He also set an example for us (I Pet. 2:21). Are you found in favor with both God and man? A man or woman can be used by God to convert his or her mate purely by conduct (I Pet. 3:1), without “a” word or “the” Word (the Bible). Take time to read this verse.

People should notice that, as a result of your beliefs, your conduct is different from that of an average person (I Pet. 4:4). Does your example convict them? You may be the only Bible some people ever read. Can people “read” you clearly? Do you “abstain from all appearance of evil” (I Thes. 5:22)?

No error or fault could be found in Daniel (Dan. 6:4). His conduct was so outstanding in all respects that a whole group of cunning, carnal-minded politicians could not find anything of which to accuse him—unless it was “concerning the law of his God” (vs. 5). He was not doing anything that they could gainsay. Nothing!

This is what being “the light of the world” is all about. This is what it means to be an ambassador for Christ. This is what it means to be a member of the true Church of God in a world that is growing darker every day.

Let’s all keep these points in mind as we observe the Feast!